While Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has flatly rejected any talks with the United States, President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration has signaled openness to dialogue, suggesting that negotiations on “nuclear transparency” could be on the table.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Tehran is already holding separate discussions with China, Russia, and three European nations to explore ways to build “trust and transparency” around its nuclear program in exchange for lifting U.S. sanctions. In an X post, Araghchi hinted at Iran’s willingness to negotiate with the U.S. specifically on nuclear transparency. Iran’s UN mission echoed this in a statement, noting that if talks aim to ease concerns about the potential weaponization of its nuclear program, the idea is worth considering.
The U.S. and its allies, meanwhile, have long demanded greater clarity on Iran’s nuclear activities. President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that the Islamic Republic must come clean about its nuclear advancements.
This shift comes despite Khamenei’s stance just a day earlier, when he again ruled out talks with the U.S. and dismissed Washington’s maximum pressure policy as futile.
